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| Memo Pad (continued) Metro announces grant applications A region-wide program to protect nature in neighborhoods kicks off with the recent announcement by the Metro Council that preliminary applications for $1 million in grants are available to community groups for nature-friendly projects. The grant program is part of the Nature in Neighborhoods initiative, the Metro Council’s commitment to protecting fish and wildlife habitat in the region. Last month the Metro Council adopted an ordinance to protect the highest value streamside habitat with regulations designed to promote habitat-friendly development while allowing for protection of other valuable habitat with a combination of incentives and voluntary efforts. Metro identified just over 80,000 acres of regionally significant fish and wildlife habitat within its jurisdictional boundaries; nearly half of that land is considered the highest quality streamside habitat. Funding for the two-year program was provided by Metro excise taxes collected on solid waste disposal during the last several years. Grants will be awarded for projects focusing on restoration, conservation education and other innovative ways to motivate communities to protect the nature of our region. Citizen groups, businesses, non-profit organizations, school groups, neighborhoods, government agencies and service groups are eligible to apply. Projects must be located within the Metro jurisdictional boundary. Three categories of grant packages are being awarded. The category “Building Community - Your Neighborhood, Your Watershed,” will accept applications for grants in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. These grants will fund community-based projects that link participants and citizens to their watershed through education and active restoration, including removal of invasive plant species, site restoration, clean-up of existing illegal dump sites and planting to enhance watersheds. The “Community Challenge for Watersheds” category will award grants in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 level. These grants will focus on neighborhood- and larger-scale, multi-partner restoration projects. These projects should seek untapped partnerships and resources, including private businesses and innovative public private enterprises that accomplish watershed restoration over a sustained period of time. Grants of $25,000 or more will be awarded to projects in the category “Creeks to Rivers Regional Challenge.” These projects should engage citizens and participants in watershed protection education and active restoration, including projects that improve and sustain existing restoration sites, channel reconstruction for fish habitat improvement, activities that reduce erosion and projects of such scope that they become catalysts for future restoration efforts. This category is targeted for projects that are broad in scope and require a higher in-kind and or financial match as well as three or more partners. Preliminary applications are now available and are due to Metro on Jan. 12. Because this is the first year of the grant program, applicants are being encouraged to submit preliminary applications for grant requests for review and feedback in order to ensure that the review process is adequate and appropriate for the full range of projects that may be considered. Applicants meeting the grant criteria will be invited to submit a final application due in late March. Grants will be awarded in May. It is anticipated that funding will be available by summer 2006. Grant applications can be found on the Metro web site at www.metro-region.org/nature or by contacting Janelle Geddes at 503-797-1550 or through e-mail at NINrestore@metro.dst.or.us. |
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